On 11 April, another mass assembly of SINPEEM, the teachers’ trade union, took place. Around 1500 people attended. The mayor
had not offered anything new so it was clear that the teachers must launch a massive struggle in order to achieve something.

Joao Evangelista, a member of Corrente Comunista Revolucionária (RCIT Brazil), spoke as the representative of the
rank and file opposition list MUOC (Movimento Unificado de Oposição Classista) as he did in the past assemblies. Again, he was the only one to argue for the immediate launch of an indefinite
general strike of the teachers and the public sector workers in Sao Paolo. The social democratic/Stalinist trade union leadership prefers to delay and to limit the struggle. The official left
opposition – around the centrist PSTU and PSOL – refuses to oppose this course.

Already during his speech, it became clear that the support amongst the rank and file for a militant stand as comrade Joao is
advocating has increased significantly. At the vote 30% of the education workers supported his motion for the immediate launch of an indefinite general strike. This shows that via a consistent
campaign for a militant struggle, comrade Joao Evangelista and MUOC have been able to substantially increase their support amongst the teachers.

While the bureaucracy could avoid an immediate indefinite general strike, it had to agree to launch an indefinite strike on
23 May. We will continue to report about the struggle.